Shears.



no. 629,339. Patented lul 25 la 9 G.VM.CLAPPB. y 9` sHEAns.

(Applicstcn filed Apr. 1, 1899:)

(No Model.)

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UNITED vSTATES PATENT OFFICE..

GUssIE M. CLAPPER, 'or -AXLiNn/onio.

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SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No'. 629,339, dated July 25,1899.

i Application tiled April l, 1899. Serial No. 711,332. (No model.)l l

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that, Gossip M. CLAPPER, a citizen ofthe United States,residingl at Axline,` in the'county of Muskingum and Statev of Ohio,have invented a new' and Y'useful Shears, of which the following is aspecifica-l This invention relates to shears, and more especially tothat class thereof employed for cutting or clipping the wool of sheepand other animals; and the objectof the invention is to provide asimple, light, and inexpensive article of the character specified Toenable others to understand thelinven-V tion, l have'i-llustrated thepreferred embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a top plan view ofshears constructed in laccordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail in perspective of theclampingspring. Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken through the centerofthe spring.

Like characters'denote li ke and corresponding parts in each of theseveral liguresof the drawings.

The shears represented includes in its construction the juxtaposedcutter-plates C and C', which may be made of any suitable material andwhich are provided at theirfront ends with projecting bars or' teeth 2bf tapered form and which are beveled along-their opposite angular edgesto produce cutting portions, and the cutting portions of the up,-

per series of bars or teeth project in opposite directions to those onthe lower set. The lower plate of the device is held stationary, whilethe upper plate is reciprooated across the same, so that the sharpenededges of the respective projecting bars/2 can cooperate to cut or clipthe wool or hair of an animal, and

complshed. y .The handle of the shears is denoted by H, being formedfrom a single length of fiat spring metal bent intermediate of its endsinto substantially U shape, the opposite branches or members 8 and 4,respectively, having their extremities l0 twisted transversely at rightangles to the plane of the respective members 3 and 4, so as telit flat`against the outer faces of the-respective cutthisoperati'on can berapidly and cleanly aca l ter-plates() and C', to which said connectingl ends are fastened by rivets 1l or other suitable fastening means'. Bytwisting the ends of thel handle the dat sides thereof are disposed inaV convenient position for operating the device., One of the members, as'3, is preferably bowed outward slightly, as shown in Fig. l, and isadapted to be held in the Y palm of the hand, the bowed portion fittingevenly Within the palm. The opposite inem- `ber 4 has a convolute formto accommodate the ngers of the hand, whereby the two members are givena shape to conveniently it the hand of the operator.

Ordinarily the branch 3 of the spring-handle H will be held in thehollow of the hand and the iingers will press the cooperating branch 4inward, thereby moving the upper bars or teeth 2 across theircompanions, and consequently compressing said branch 4, so that when itis released it can retract by its own action, and thereby return theseveral upper fingers to their initial positions, at which point theoperation will be repeated.

The pressure between the plates O and C is regulated by the dat bowedspring 5, having openings 6 near its 'opposite ends to receive the bolts7, carried by the under plate C. These bolts extend through longitudinalslots 8 in the upper plate and are provided above the upper surface ofthe spring 5 with nuts 9, adapted to bind against they spring 5 andadjust its tension upon the upper plate, and consequently to vary thecontact of the latter with its companion. The opposite ends of thespring 5 bear firmly against the upper plate at points beyond theclamping-bolts and serve to hold said upper plate withthe proper degreeof pressure, which can be va.-

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spring 5. As the olipper'is in use the'cutting edges of the bars orteeth 2 are selfsharpening, and the contacting faces of the parts areworn away somewhat in operation;

but this can be compensated for by tightening the spring, therebyinsuring tbeproper contiguty between the two parts.

The shears constructed as aforesaid can opcrate with rapidity and can doclose smooth work, and it will be evident that they are light andconsist of a small number of parts, which can be produced and assembledfor use at a low cost.

Changes in the form, proportion, size, andY the minor details ofconstruction within the scope ot' the appended claims may be resorted towithout departing from the spirit or sac riiicing any of the advantagesof this invention. i

Having thus described the invention, what I claim isl. A shearsconsisting ofv two juxtaposed cutting-plates carrying coperating teeth,means for holding said plates in contact, and a handle consistingof aflat U-shaped spring having its ends bent transversely to its shoulderand secured to the outer faces of the j uxtaposed plates, one branch ofthe spring being slightly bowed outwardly so as to fit-within the palmot" the operators hand and the other branch having a convolute form toaccommodate the operators lingers.

2. The improved shears herein described andshown consisting of twojuxtaposed plates carrying coperating teeth, one of said plates beingprovided with transverse slots, a bowed spring extending over said slotsand having its ends bearing on said plate beyond the slots, boltscarried by the non-slotted plate and projecting through said slots andthe spring, thumb-nuts mounted on the said bolts and bearing againstsaid spring, and afhandle consisting of av tlatU-sh'aped spring havingits ends twisted in a plane at right angles toits shoulder andl securedto the outer faces of the juxtaposed plates.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I'have heretoatfixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

GUSSIE M. CLAPPER.

lVitnesses:

PERRY SMITH, E. E. BAGLEY.

